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I also wanted to add that I have picked up most of my communitty service activities through my mosque. It's mainly because of how much my parents and they remind me that god orders us to love others if we are to love him. Soup kitchen, free tutoring, helping old people with shopping and other things, visiting sick people in the hospital and cheering them up with magic tricks and fun stuff. I get to do/organize many of the fun and helpful events with like minded people here, so I really do feel like I am giving back as a I should.

But just to reemphasize, I truly try to keep my intention in that of the service of god. It is hard, but the more you believe the easier it is to keep your intentions purely to the creator.

But would you do these things simply for the sake of doing them? This is what I am not understanding. Does attaching God to it make it more...palatable? You can't do them simply because?

But would you do these things simply for the sake of doing them? This is what I am not understanding. Does attaching God to it make it more...palatable? You can't do them simply because?

Yeah this what I was thinking about too. I think most of the religious people who are really into service and giving would still do it even if they weren't religious. But the Church will encourage lots of people to help others, people who maybe wouldn't have otherwise.

I guess I was more wondering what your personal reasoning is.. Most people I know who are of the more liberal or skeptical side of faith rarely attach God to anything other than spiritual/religious matters, you wouldn't know they were people of faith unless the topic came up.

I am agnostic. However, I do believe that there is something powerful in community, something bigger than us, that can work as a cohesive agent if people are part of an intentional collective devoted to honoring that cohesive agent. That honoring is like the Hindu greeting "namaste." That which is divine/holy/sacred/good in me greets that which is divine/holy/sacred/good in you. Is it God? I don't know. It's a good enough word for it, and it is more powerful than niceties. It is more powerful than politeness or tolerance. And if helping/compassion are simply natural and human, as I would like to believe it is but certainly have reason to doubt, then perhaps this cohesive agent is our pure humanity. I suppose I could call it that instead, but given the violence of humanity, it seems somewhat inadequate to me.

I am a person of immensely complicated faith, but I hope that my actions can consistently honor the good/God that we have in common. I hope that it is very apparent even before the topic comes up.

INFJ

"I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality." -Martin Luther King, Jr.

The last time I made the conscious decision to go to church was a couple of years ago when there was a German mass being held at this old Catholic church in town. I wanted to go for two reasons: (1) I was curious to try out my German comprehension skills and (2) the architecture and general magnificence of the building, inside and out, are an experience in themselves (oh and (3), I was going to get extra credit for my German class, though I didn't really need it so that wasn't an important factor).

I always thought that the closest I've ever come to having what is often described as a religious "experience" was when I was all worked up by the aesthetic splendor of the cathedral in combination with their wonderful choir. In the moment I never thought I'd seen or heard anything so beautiful.

I voted "Never", though, because I don't think I have the desire or the gumption to ever go again. But I can understand the sublime appeal of some of the grand Catholic (or Orthodox) services. What I can't understand is how people actually bring themselves to go to those churches that hold services in a room that resembles a children's classroom (or worse, some sort of basement). And if I can fully understand the "preacher", then all charm is lost for me. At least with the Catholic priests you get this otherworldly/surreal feel, like they're not for real, like it's some sort of performance.

But would you do these things simply for the sake of doing them? This is what I am not understanding. Does attaching God to it make it more...palatable? You can't do them simply because?

sure you could.

To me though, I think if god didn't exist than morallity would need not exist either. I should only work on maximizing the pleasure I can get in this life since it is the only one. I should work on trying to get around laws and anything that limits the limit of my hedonistic pleasure. None the less, I personally believe that god will give me ultimate happiness in the hereafter if I do his work here on earth.

/Brothers Karamazov

I am not saying that if my belief in god didn't exist I wouldn't do good, I am just sure I would do much less of it. Remember my earlier answer, I do it to please god first and foremost.

I think that people find God in each other, and that may mean that devotion to community/nurturing of each other/concern for other people and devotion to God are one in the same.

I'm not saying they're mutually exclusive. The two great commandmants are Love God and Love thy Neighbor. But they're not literally the same.

This ties into the issue of "Christ and Culture" that Niebuhr articulated on. The perspective you basically outlined seems to fit into the one of "Christ as culture" where religion and community are combined. This is the standard cultural Christian view of things.

I take the view of "Christ above culture", where religion is above community, because it helps affirms and uplift the nature of the community.

I am agnostic. However, I do believe that there is something powerful in community, something bigger than us, that can work as a cohesive agent if people are part of an intentional collective devoted to honoring that cohesive agent. That honoring is like the Hindu greeting "namaste." That which is divine/holy/sacred/good in me greets that which is divine/holy/sacred/good in you. Is it God? I don't know. It's a good enough word for it, and it is more powerful than niceties. It is more powerful than politeness or tolerance. And if helping/compassion are simply natural and human, as I would like to believe it is but certainly have reason to doubt, then perhaps this cohesive agent is our pure humanity. I suppose I could call it that instead, but given the violence of humanity, it seems somewhat inadequate to me.

I am a person of immensely complicated faith, but I hope that my actions can consistently honor the good/God that we have in common. I hope that it is very apparent even before the topic comes up.

The word "God" definitely does attach greater meaning to it. On "humanity" though, could you just accept the good along with the bad in humanity? Or does "the bad" soil the word too much for you?

Originally Posted by Eileen

However, I do believe that there is something powerful in community, something bigger than us, that can work as a cohesive agent if people are part of an intentional collective devoted to honoring that cohesive agent.

Why people pray and go to church.synagogue,mosque....? I am asking myself this question for a long time and however I try to look at this, the entire thing doesn't have too much sense. (to me)

So, why people do this?

Whet religion means to individuals on this forum ?

Imagine that you are a child trapped on the roof of a burning building. Your family has perished inside. There is no one around to help you. You come to the realization that you are going to die. Just in time, a man shows up in a helicopter and throws down a rope to you. You grab onto the rope and are carried off to safety.

You are eternally grateful to this man for saving your life. You find out that he is the eldest son of a very wealthy and entirely benevolent man who adopts you into his family, provides for all your needs and treats you like one of his own children, including giving you an inheritance. The father's kindness and unconditional love for you make you feel more special than you have ever felt in your entire life. You feel cherished and loved, not only by him, but by his whole family. In return, there is nothing you would not do for him or the other family members if they asked you.

You eventually grow up and decide to set out into the world. The kind man who adopted you asks only one thing of you before you go. He requests that you would come to his home once a week, to break bread with his other children and to enjoy each other's good company. He also offers that if you ever need anything, you should feel free to call and ask. Also, he runs a charitable organization and any time you would like to be involved in the good work he is doing, you are always welcome.

That is a little parable that describes why I go to church and why I pray. I was the child on the roof of the burning building. Jesus Christ saved me from the burning hell that I was headed for. God the Father adopted me into His family where I experience love and acceptance. Attending church is when I get to meet with my other brothers and sisters in Christ and enjoy their encouragement and comfort. When I call on the Father through prayer, He hears me and helps me. Finally, I choose to take part in the good works that the Father is doing since I know that is pleasing to Him.